


Fighting the universe

by Querion



Series: Defying the universe [2]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-03-07 15:28:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13437747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Querion/pseuds/Querion
Summary: This is a follow up story from `Defying the universe` but it can also be read as a standalone story. Kathryn Janeway is back in her own universe. She is struggling to find peace within herself before she decides to move on. Move on to what exactly? The captain is not sure of it, herself. Will she accept external input?The story is based loosely on episodes The Raven, Hope and Fear and Dark Frontier parts 1 and 2.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So i`ve been down with the flu. Fevers day and night and loss of appetite. My whole body aches. In retrospect i`m thinking that i shouldn`t have ignored the flu jab they were offering at work, lol!!! Anyway i will try and catch up with the second part of the series and see where things go. I have already told the flu virus that "Resistance is futile!" So hopefully i will get better soon!!

Captain Janeway sighed and sat back at her desk. Voyager had escaped from B`omar space. She had just got her wayward ex drone crew person back on board, along with her security chief. The star ship was now cruising at a breakneck velocity of warp six. Janeway thought of her extreme reactions whenever it came to her crew. When they were under threat she promised herself that she would move heaven and earth to rescue them, she is the one who had stranded them in this god-forsaken quadrant after all. The captain knew that her methods were unorthodox but she had learned her lessons. Out here, in the Delta Quadrant, where every decision made could mean life or death, she had to be vigilant and make sure her crew was safe if she was to live another day. She supposed that her command training will really come in handy in these hostile regions of space. Janeway thought back to another encounter with the Borg. Arturis, the linguistic genius, attempted to get she and Seven of Nine assimilated. In the alien`s brig, Janeway thought back to when Seven of Nine flinched as Kathryn adjusted the bioelectric field of the young woman`s body so that they could escape. The captain smiled at herself when she thought back to the short conversation in that brig. Seven had revealed to her that she was not happy when she was first forced to join Voyager but now she was alright with the arrangement. 

 

Janeway got up the desk and went to get a cup of coffee from the replicator. She returned but this time she went to sit on the long couch under the window. She thought of another incident, again with the Borg Queen herself. The Queen called Seven "hers." That disturbed Kathryn quite a bit. Nobody called Seven hers but herself! She knew that she was being irrational. Nobody in the Federation owned another being, only lovers had the right to claim their partners as theirs but even this was to be a mutual arrangement. The captain, however, felt that she shared a special bond with the young woman. They had been through a lot together. Kathryn snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the ready room bell chime. Tuvok walked in. He had a padd in his hand and handed it to the captain. Janeway looked up at him from her sitting position.

"More work, Old Friend?" She smiled at him while Tuvok raised an eye brow.

"It is the security report you requested, captain. It only requires your approval." He nodded his head politely at her and waited. Janeway scanned the device, placed a thumb print on it and handed it back to the man.

 

Janeway walked out to the bridge and handed over to commander Chakotay, her first officer. She decided to take the afternoon off. Kathryn rarely took advantage of her captain`s privileges. Chakotay was a bit concerned but he was going to monitor her situation from a far. He did not want to appear to be nosy when it came to the captain`s personal affairs. Somehow though the first officer knew that his captain was in a contemplative mood, probably due to her encounter with the Borg Queen.


	2. `Mutiny`

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The USS Voyager traverses through an unusually quiet region of space, thanks to Seven and Harry Kim`s advanced Astrometrics laboratory. Unfortunately the crew has nothing to do. So the senior staff assist Seven of Nine with an ambitious plan in acquiring a date. Will they all be `hanged for mutiny?`

The star ship Voyager was traversing through an unusually quiet area of the Delta Quadrant. So the captain decided to take the afternoon off. She walked into her quarters and headed straight for the bedroom. She proceeded to the bathroom and filled the tub with scented water. The lavender bubbles rose in the bath enticingly, the woman could almost hear them calling out to her. Kathryn undressed and stood in front of the mirror. She looked at her face, the laugh lines at the corners of her mouth and eyes, her beautiful, expressive blue grey eyes moved down to her arms and then chest. Janeway looked down at her small breasts with dusky pink nipples. Suddenly her eyes moved back up to her face. Kathryn will not condone such behaviour from...herself. She was about to do something she has been fighting against doing for a good while, in fact ever since she returned from the alternate universe. In fact the desire to touch herself, to pleasure herself has always been there but it had intensified or rather she had become more aware of it recently. Every time she indulged herself she would think of a certain blonde woman. Things always proceeded smoothly when the blonde was brought into the equation of pleasuring herself. Janeway wondered why thinking about her old fiance, Mark, never brought such intensity to her secret, nocturnal activities. Only this woman was able to invade her mind and cause such an activity to be extremely pleasurable to Kathryn. She sighed and moved away from the mirror above the sink. Kathryn slowly immersed herself into the water, leaned back and closed her eyes.

 

Janeway`s left hand lazily moved up her right arm. She jolted and sat up. Her senses were heightened, much more than usual. Kathryn rolled her eyes at that.

"More than usual? Really?" Her inner voice said incredulously.

 

She relaxed back and almost disappeared into the bubbles. Her stubborn left hand moved to the right side of her body this time, out of its own volition, it went straight to Kathryn`s right breast. She cupped her breast, feeling its mass then her index and middle fingers moved up to the erect nipple. They rubbed the sensitive bud a few times. Janeway`s breathing was getting deeper at this point. She threw her head back and shut her eyes in bliss. She really should not be entertaining such thoughts. Thoughts of a certain blonde touching her breast and sucking the nipple. Unfortunately the more she resisted the more her body wanted her to touch herself. It craved for the delicious sensations which shot through her. 

 

Kathryn sat up in the bath and found the face cloth on the side. She quickly washed herself and got out of the bath. She smiled triumphantly at her success. She won her fight against carnal desires. The woman decided to look at the quantum slipstream drive equations her astrometrics officer gave her. The officer wanted the captain`s input before she started working on a holodeck simulation of the drive.

 

Seven of Nine knew that the captain had taken the afternoon off. She had checked with the computer. She wondered what the captain was doing? The young woman wanted to see the captain, just to have a chat with her. She had to conjure up some sort of philosophical discussion so she could hear the captain`s voice. Seven of Nine knew that she longed to be with Janeway all the time. She also knew that this was illogical. Her brilliant mind had been cataloguing her behaviour and the captain`s towards each other. She was beginning to place the puzzle pieces together. Her preliminary findings were that Kathryn and herself were one. They thought alike, liked the same things. They were even married, at least their counterparts in the alternate universe, were happily married. The young woman believed that the two belonged with each other, no matter what Kathryn said. Seven knew that Kathryn would quote Starfleet protocols to her if Seven dared bring the subject up. The woman, captain Janeway, was Starfleet through and through. She breathed protocol. The Borg woman had to carefully plan her method and technique. She remembered that B`Elanna Torres, the chief engineer, had once told Seven to seek her counsel whenever she needed it. This was the time to do just that. Luckily all the other senior staff agreed to assist her in her impossible plan.

"Seven of Nine to Lieutenant Torres? Respond!"

"Torres, here. How can i help, Seven?"

"May i see you in the cargo bay two please?" Seven relayed her plan to woo the captain to the chief engineer. Torres stood in front of Seven, still as a statue with mouth agape.

"You want me to help you with what? Are you out of your freaking mind?!"

"Are you going to assist me or not?" Seven asked, unmoved by Torres` reaction. B`Elanna had calmed down from her initial shock of her friend`s unorthodox wooing method and ingenuity.

"Could you run that by me again, i don`t want to miss a thing. If i am going to be involved i want it to be the best plan. At least it will bring us some joy when we are thrown together in the brig!" Torres grinned at her partner in crime.

"Indeed! The whole senior staff may be thrown in the brig. First, i am going to ask the captain that i wish to go and inspect a nebula. I will fake a malfunction in my shuttle then it will `explode.` While everybody watches the `explosion,` you will beam me into the ship and straight to sick bay. We will then hope that Neelix`s skills in drawing temporary tattoos which will look like burn marks is convincing enough to everyone. The Doctor will `treat` me and inform the Captain. Then i will carry out Plan B." Seven said confidently.

"Plan B?" B`Elanna asked.

"Yes, the captain is very stubborn. I cannot woo her with one plan!" B`Elanna laughed and hooted. She slapped her friend on the back. This region of space was too quiet for Voyager crew`s liking, it seemed.

"Tell me the whole plan from the beginning to end." B`Elanna was eager. The engineer was always bent on mischief. It was a therapeutic way of expending her extra energy she frequently had due to her half Klingon heritage.

"Ensign Kim will pick up a beautiful, unusual nebula on sensors. Commander Tuvok will confirm its presence. Lieutenant Paris will ask the captain to go and see it. The other officers will agree and ask if i could go and take the best scans in a shuttle. The captain is going to call you in engineering to inquire if we have enough dilithium to `waste` by making this diversion. You are to agree with the plan. The captain does not usually send an away team of one so i will ask if Commander Chakotay could go with me. She will be agreeable to this since the nebula is only half a light year from our present location. Then the `malfunction` will occur."

"Wow, Seven. I`m definitely in. Let`s do this!" Torres said enthusiastically.

 

The following day during staff meeting Seven of Nine sat across the table facing the captain. She looked at Janeway and saw grey eyes looking back at her. Seven`s heart sank. She did not like to see her captain sad or concerned with something. Seven was unaware that the captain was riddled with guilt. She was guilty of having impure thoughts about the young woman. Seven decided to smile at the captain. When she did the ex drone noted confusion on Janeway`s face then a moment later a small but beautiful smile appeared on her face which caused Seven`s heart to miss a beat.

 

Janeway was still smiling after she dismissed the crew out of the conference room. She noted that Seven was still sitting on the chair.

"Seven?"

"Yes, captain?"

"How can i help you?"

"I would like to invite you for dinner in holodeck two at 19:00 hours this evening."

"That is not a good idea, Seven. I`m, uh, i`ll be busy..." Kathryn felt silly. She clearly was taken by surprise and could not think of anything reasonable to say.

"Very well." Seven said and walked out of the conference room leaving Janeway wondering what she had missed or not missed.

 

On the bridge the crew went about their daily business when Ensign Harry Kim picked up a beautiful, unusual nebula on sensors. Tuvok confirmed it and they all saw it on the view screen. The captain thought it was unremarkable but she noted that all her bridge crew was interested in it. She quickly decided that if the nebula will help boost her crew`s morale then they will go and see it. Torres agreed that they had enough energy to make this small diversion. When Seven offered to go on a shuttle alone, Janeway refused stating that she did not send an away mission of one. `So predictable,` Seven thought and smiled to herself. Chakotay offered to go with the young woman. Janeway felt a twinge of jealousy but she agreed for the handsome, dark commander to accompany the beautiful blonde.

 

A few minutes later the crew saw Seven and Chakotay`s shuttle explode in a bright flash right in front of them on the view screen. 

"Harry! Have you got a lock on them?!" Janeway shouted at the young Ensign and jumped from the command chair to join the man at his console. She had to see it for herself that the life signs of her two officers have been indeed been found and rescued.

"I`ve got them. They`re safe in sick bay!" Harry whispered to B`Ellanna in engineering. 

"Excellent, Harry." B`Elanna said as she rushed out of Engineering and headed to sick bay.

 

As the engineer walked in to sick bay she found a dejected looking captain and and an impassive Tuvok looking down on the bio beds containing the two officers. Their injuries looked quite convincing. For a moment B`Elanna panicked then she saw Seven hide a smile while Chakotay winked at her. The Emergency Medical Hologram hovered over the `patients` and busily`scanned` and prodded them with medical instruments.

 

Janeway continued to stand beside the bio bed bearing her almost charred but very much alive astrometrics officer. Chakotay`s black and red command uniform was black with soot and torn in some parts but he too was very much alive. Tuvok had gone back to the bridge knowing that their plan worked. The captain leaned against the bio bed and whispered in Seven`s ear. "You must stay alive. I need you. I love you Seven of Nine. Please stay with me?!" She pleaded and half cried.

 

Finally the Doctor came to stand next to the captain. He whispered something in her ear which did not make much sense.

"Captain, do not be concerned with the well beings of these two individuals. I assure you they will both live. You will have a date with one of them soon enough." Then he left for his office.

"Very well, keep me apprised of their progress. I will be on the bridge." Then she left sick bay.

 

The captain sat on the bridge thinking about the shuttle explosion. Is this how chances happen? One minute something or someone is there. The next minute it has gone. She thought of her brief odd meeting with Seven earlier that day. Seven asked her out on a date. She could not even give the young woman a reason to refuse. The captain sighed. She really must give this a try, if it fails at least she would have made an attempt. On the other hand Janeway did not want anything dealing with Seven to fail. She finally decided to have a date with Seven when she was better. Janeway left the bridge for the ready room after handing over to Tuvok. The dusky security chief stood at his station on the bridge. He followed the captain with his gaze until she disappeared into the ready room. He did not want to think about the consequences of senior staff`s actions.


	3. Mischievous crew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Janeway plans on having dinner with her crew man in her quarters while her crew continues with their `deception.`

Janeway sat at the desk in her ready room. She did some work, drank coffee and did more work on crew evaluations and made recommendations on requests from the departments which had sent her requests for changes in their areas. She worked for three hours then she decided to have lunch. Kathryn was surprised that the Doctor had not called to give her an update on the injured crewmen in sick bay. She reasoned with herself that perhaps there was nothing serious to report to her. Then her thought went back to what the Doctor said just before she left sick bay. "Do not concern yourself with the well beings of these individuals. They will both recover and you will have a date with one of them soon enough." The captain frowned. `How the hell did he know about that?!` She asked herself. Her internal musings were interrupted by a call from sick bay.

"Doctor to the captain, respond?"

"Janeway here. What have you got, Doctor?"

"I thought you would like to know that i am releasing your two crew men to quarters. They will be fit for duty tomorrow morning."

"Thank you for the update, Doctor." Janeway cut off the communication.

 

The captain felt that she should invite Seven of Nine to her quarters, see how she was and apologize for her bad response she gave the young woman that morning. Janeway laughed to herself when she thought back to the idiotic mumbling she displayed in front of her crew man. It was not befitting a Starfleet officer, let alone a Starfleet captain. She shook her head as she walked out of the ready room and noded at Tuvok. Janeway had asked the computer of Seven`s whereabouts. She got in the turbo lift that took her to cargo bay two.

 

Neelix and The Doctor had finished taking off the temporary tattoos, body paints and plasters off Chakotay and Seven of Nine`s bodies. The four crew men laughed and giggled at their own childish behaviour in conspiring against their own captain.

"It`s for a good cause." Neelix said with conviction. "The captain and Seven belong with each other." He said as he cut off the charred black and red top off commander Chakotay and passed him a freshly replicated one.

"Indeed!" The Doctor chipped in as he handed Seven a new blue bio suit so she could go and change before she left for cargo bay two. "Sometimes with certain humans, such as the captain, it is necessary to utilize additional ammunition if one requires any sort of relationship with her!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chakotay asked. "You mean to tell me that i did not try hard enough on New Earth?"

"No, Commander. You let her play with a monkey!" Neelix said while Chakotay punched the little furry man on the arm. Seven of Nine merely raised an eye brow at her bantering colleagues She stood from the bio bed and placed her hands neatly behind her back.

"Thank you, Doctor."

"You`re welcome, Seven." 

 

The young woman went to the cargo bay two where her Borg alcove was. This room also doubled as her living area. Seven frowned. She must ask the captain for quarters or in the very least she should ask for permission to construct some living space behind the alcoves. If she was thinking about dating, she should also have somewhere private to sit and relax with her date.

"Seven of Nine to the captain?"

"Janeway, here. How can i help you, Seven?" Janeway said as she walked in the cargo bay. She found Seven seated on the dais of her alcove. The captain joined her and sat beside the young woman.

 

Seven of Nine moved aside to give the new comer some room to sit. The captain and Seven had a long chat about different things except what Janeway really wanted to say. Finally the older woman decided to just come out and say it.

"Seven, i have been thinking about your request? That you wanted us to have a dinner date? I would like you to come to my quarters tonight at 19:00 hours, for dinner. Do you accept?

"I do." The Borg woman said briefly.

"Excellent. Bring your appetite." Kathryn patted the young woman`s arm then stood up from the dais. She looked around the cargo bay then looked back at her crewman and smiled. Seven was still sitting on the dais. She looked up at the captain and smiled back.

 

Seven quickly checked on the data base for suitable attire on `first date` and `dinner.` Samantha Wildman walked into the cargo bay with her daughter, Naomi Wildman. Naomi was Seven`s young friend.

"Hi, Seven. We just came to check on you. We heard about the `shuttle accident.` The commander said we should all keep up the facade. So, here we are!" Sam laughed. Seven did not know how to respond to that. She had a small smile on her face as she thanked the Wildmans joining in the `mutiny.`

"Thank you both. Samantha i have managed to acquire a date with the captain this evening at 19:00 hours. I require assistance in getting the correct attire?" At that moment B`Elanna Torres walked in to congratulate Seven on getting the date with the captain. She made Seven inform her first about the date. The chief engineer slapped her friend on the back and laughed heartily at `The Borg who won the Alpha female.` Seven endured the sharp burning sensation on her back where she was slapped by Torres. She sighed and clarified that she did not `win anyone.`

"What does winning the alpha female mean, Mom?" Naomi asked.

"It`s adult talk, Honey. Don`t worry about it." Samantha told her daughter.

 

Samantha Wildman and B`Elanna quickly helped Seven get the correct attire for the evening then mother and daughter left the cargo bay for their quarters. B`Elanna Torres walked around the cargo bay. She was looking down on the deck thoughtfully. One arm was folded across her chest while the other elbow leaned on the crossed arm with her hand cupping her chin.

"We must construct some sort of quarters for you, here. Where will you bring your date? The holodeck? The mess hall? I could re route conduits from non essential parts of this deck to this room. We will have heating, power conduits for cooking and plumbing such as bathroom and toilet. As for the computer that is even easier than the rest. We will simply move your whole station here to your new quarters. Now the most important thing to do is to ask for permission for our construction. Unfortunately there aren`t any free quarters left except for the guest quarters on deck three and that is reserved for guests. I`m sure the captain will see this as a priority?" B`Elanna continued to pace for a while longer then she paused in front of the taller woman.

"I will ask her tonight." 

"Good. I suggest you get laid tonight. You`ll have to get on her good side if you want her to do things for you." B`Elanna advised her friend.

"No, B`Elanna. I am not going to take advantage on Kathryn`s love and trust!" The young woman said stubbornly.

"No, you won`t be taking advantage of her in any way. You`ll just be exercising your right as a lover!" The half Klingon engineer maintained.

"Very well, B`Elanna. I will attempt to `get laid` tonight!" B`Elanna looked at her companion with bright eyes. She saw that the corners of Seven`s mouth were curled up in a small smile. She started to laugh and soon Seven joined in with a small laugh.


	4. Request granted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janeway grants Seven request to build a living space in cargo bay two.

That evening, a few seconds before 19:00 hours, the captain`s door bell chime sounded. Seven of Nine had a single red rose in her hand. She did not have to wait long because the captain herself was there, standing in the middle of the room, as soon as the door parted open for the young woman. Seven noticed that the older woman looked nervous. She was wearing a sleeveless dark blue top, a pair of neat blue jeans with a pair of white sandals. `Smart casual` was the phrase that came to Seven`s mind when she saw the beautiful older woman. Kathryn smiled at her guest and guided her to the couch.

"You look very nice, Seven. That dress looks really good on you!" The older woman said while smiling at Seven.

 

The women sat next to each other then Kathryn offered Seven a drink.

"If it is alcohol, captain, i will `pass.` Alcohol impairs my cortical functions. Janeway looked at her guest and smiled at her.

"I can tell that you`ve been spending a lot of time with Mr Paris, Seven!" The astrometrics officer smiled at the captain. She was pleased that the older woman appreciated her efforts of using colloquial terms and idioms. The next second Seven frowned. She wondered what Janeway`s reaction would be when she learns of the senior staff `deception` or was it `mutiny?` She did not know. She supposed that if Janeway grew angry and throw her in the brig, she would still be happy to still be on the same ship as her captain. It was a hopeless thing to think about, Seven knew, but what other options did she have? Pursuing Kathryn was as difficult as fighting the Borg! She sighed. When she looked up she saw a pair of blue grey eyes trained on her.

"I was asking you if you could try a small amount of wine and see how things go?" Kathryn said.

"Very well, captain. I shall attempt to imbibe a minuscule amount of alcohol." Seven agreed. She wondered why she failed to hear the captain speak to her earlier. What happened to her eidetic memory in those few seconds?

 

The captain sat on the couch next to her guest. They talked about everything including Seven and Chakotay`s accident. Seven of Nine panicked when she remembered that she still had to maintain a facade of still recovering from a horrific ordeal. She knew that she was not a very good liar but she was trying as hard as she could. 

"How are you feeling, Seven? I was very worried about you when the shuttle exploded. How did you and the commander manage to escape?"

"We were beamed out." Seven said briefly not at all happy with where this conversation was going.

"Well, whatever happened i`m sure Tuvok and his team will find out. For now i`m just glad to have you back with me, i mean, with us." Janeway cleared her throat. The slip up was almost a declaration of love.

"Captain, did you play pranks on others when you were growing up?"

"Oh, yes i did. There was a time when my younger sister, Phoebe and my older cousin, Lydia, went into the forest `hunting.` There wasn`t anything to hunt there really but we enjoyed the adventure part of it. We climbed trees and dug holes in the ground. Of the three of us, my cousin was the naughty one. She decided to place a phallic object on my mattress. That night when we all came back to camp i took off my dirty jeans and put on my night shirt and shorts. When i lay on the mattress, the purple thing jumped at me and started to vibrate.. It then played a very rude song i am still too ashamed to repeat to anyone! I think Lydia recorded her own voice because it suspiciously sounded like her!" Janeway laughed at the memory. Seven got even more interested. She leaned forward to admire the beautiful face of her captain.

"What happened next, captain?" The young woman said in a dreamy voice. Janeway did not think that the young woman was aware of it. Janeway hesitated a bit. `Seven is so beautiful,` her little voice said. She had to agree. She snapped out of her musing and continued with her explanation.

"The two laughed at me because they knew that i was a....virgin at the time... Apparently i was never adventurous enough in that department so they were trying to get me `into things.`" She said softly. The ex drone knew that Kathryn had never told anyone such a story. She felt privileged to share this secret with the captain.

"Did you retaliate?"

"I shoved the innocuous thing down Lydia`s night dress but Phoebe was on her side and i was overpowered. They put it under my pillow but at night i buried it somewhere nearby. I`m sure it`s still there, somewhere." Janeway was now wiping tears off her face with the back of her hand. She had laughed so hard and to see Seven join in with real laughter made her so very happy.

 

Seven left her quarters a happy person. The captain had given her permission to construct a living space for herself but she also advised her to use resources as the young woman saw fit and within reason. On the other hand she was beginning to feel guilty of the deception she had involved the senior staff in. Tomorrow she was going to profess her undying love for the captain. Perhaps after that she will reveal her daring deed.


	5. Inefficient Drone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seven battles with her conscience over her `daring deed.` She fantasizes about her captain in a very inefficient manner.

Seven of Nine walked out of the captain`s quarters feeling on top of the world. Her plan had been successful. In the cargo bay the young woman quickly stepped into her alcove and was about to order the computer to start a regeneration cycle. She looked towards her work station and saw a small package sitting on the small screen so she stepped off the dais and went to investigate.

 

The young woman held the brightly wrapped package. It was small and fitted into her palm. She carefully unwrapped it to reveal a blue and silver box tied with a blue and silver ribbon. Seven`s curiosity piqued when she saw her human designation neatly written by hand on the box`s lid. The ex drone smiled when she recognized the sender by the handwriting.

"Kathryn." Seven whispered to herself wondrously when she lifted up the lid and saw what was inside. On a bed of silver paper lay a small bottle of perfume. When Seven lifted it out of the box she noted a small note that was under the bottle. She smiled as she read it.

"Annika, here is a bottle of my favourite perfume.

I thought you may want to try it yourself, see if you like it. 

I`m so glad to have you with me, i mean, with us.

Thank you for being here and for being my friend.

Love, Kathryn."

 

The Borg woman was too excited to regenerate. She turned the note over and over and she wished the captain had written more. Her logical mind scoffed at her and argued that the captain had written enough. Seven only needed to read between the lines to find the true meaning of it all. Her baser mind went off on a tangent. She imagined the captain, no, Kathryn, saying the words "I`m so glad to have you with me," while she lay splayed on the couch in her quarters and she, Seven, lay on top of her as she kissed her. The ex drone found herself closing her eyes and her right hand, out of its own volition, moved to the back of her neck to lightly caress it. Tingling sensations shot from the point of contact and radiated to the rest of her body. 

 

The young woman felt her nipples tighten deliciously. She knew that physiologically a woman`s nipples got erect when she slept as a normal physiological process. She wondered how Kathryn`s nipples would look like when erect as she slept? She imagined touching and squeezing Kathryn`s erect nipples. Would she moan? Ask for more? Or perhaps both? Seven felt her nipples poking through the bio suit, daring her to release them from their confinement. The more she thought of the redhead and imagined it was Kathryn touching her, the more excited she got. Seven reveled in these exquisite sensations for a little while and her breathing got deeper. She needed more. 

 

The young woman snapped out of her delicious fantasy and looked around the cargo bay. She sighed as guilt came crashing down on her like a ton of rock from above a cave roof. She cursed her eidetic memory for playing back the deception which she involved the whole senior staff. Will they all be in trouble? Are they going to be thrown in the brig? Is she going to lose her friendship with the captain? If that happened, Seven would rather leave the ship. Or maybe she could be in the brig and be consoled by the fact that she was still on the same ship as her captain. Seven was in love, nervous, confused, angry with herself and riddled with guilt. She did not know what to do. Her logical mind told her to regenerate, that it would bring order to chaos. The ex drone thought that was the best course of action. She carefully placed the bottle in the box and held it to her heart one last time then she placed it on her work console and stepped in her alcove once again. The Borg woman ordered the computer to commence a six hour regeneration cycle and immediately her eyes snapped shut.


	6. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kathryn thinks things through. She had come to a conclusion that she was going to make an attempt at having a relationship with her astrometrics officer.

"A vessel has been detected. Unimatrix 412, grid 116. Activate. Alter course to intercept. Vessel identified. Federation Starfleet, interepid class. One hundred forty three life forms. Prepare for assimilation." The Borg ship headed straight for the small intrepid class star ship, determined to assimilate it.

"We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile." Janeway felt like rolling her eyes at the war chant but that would not do on the bridge. Star ship captains do not `roll their eyes.`

"Break off your pursuit or we`ll open fire." She simply said.

"Irrelevant!" The Borg insisted.

"Is it?" Janeway asked but she did not expect an answer from the arrogant bunch. Seven, who was standing at the the engineering station on the bridge, heard the captain say. The young woman thought Janeway looked sexier this morning, especially when she talked back to the Borg bullies with confidence. The young woman was taken back in time to when she was a little girl. She wished her father had the same courage to protect his family from the Borg. Seven looked at Kathryn`s back. Her hair shone a gold red or was it brass. It was exquisite and ethereal. Kathryn was both ruthless and gentle. She was a bundle of contrasts. Seven felt like touching the captain`s hair but that would be inappropriate. She knew this but she still wanted to touch it so badly. 

"You`ve scanned our vessel. You know we can match your fire power." Janeway went on.

 

The stubborn drones started firing at the intrepid Federation vessel. Voyager fired two shots at the Borg vessel before the drones decided to re modulate their weapons. While they carried out their tasks Voyager had quickly beamed a photon torpedo on board the other ship which exploded instantly, killing all on board and leaving space debris.

 

Seven of Nine looked at the captain`s back in awe. When Janeway looked back at her briefly for an explanation of how the other ship exploded, the young woman felt her heart beat faster. 

"Kathryn is beautiful!" Seven said softly to herself. Then she went on to explain that the photon torpedo they beamed over detonated near the power matrix causing a chain reaction. Seven knew she had to work harder to concentrate on being professional. The captain looked at her briefly acknowledging her response then she faced away to ask whether there were any survivors. 

 

Sadly there were no survivors on the Borg ship. Janeway grieved briefly for the loss of lives. She was a Starfleet officer who was trained to hold all life in high regard, even the Borg. However, a thought had occurred to her. What if they could salvage the debris and found something which the crew could use to improve propulsion of her own ship? She knew her first officer did not agree, judging from the look on his face when she announced her plan to him. She will just have to convince him. 

 

The Voyager crew had collected eight kilotons of debris from the exploded Borg vessel. The Doctor found a servo armature which he could revolutionize the way he performed surgery. Janeway did not know what to think about that. She knew, however, that the Doctor was a resourceful hologram and had all the confidence that he would use the Borg part to the crew`s advantage. She and commander Chakotay continued on with the debris inspection until she saw Seven and B`Elanna Torres attempting to activate a trans warp coil. Unfortunately the field regulator was fused due to a self destruct sequence set in the technology design. This mechanism ensured that nobody benefited from Borg technology by rendering the coil useless as it was beyond repair. Seven looked at the captain and saw the look of despair in Kathryn`s eyes. Her heart constricted painfully for Janeway. Seven vowed to help her get a trans warp coil, even from a functioning Borg ship.

 

That evening Kathryn invited Seven to her quarters for a chat. They had snacks as both of them did not feel like having a proper meal. Kathryn was preoccupied with their mission the following day. The senior staff had agreed to steal a trans warp coil from a functioning but badly in need of repair Borg sphere. It was travelling slowly and defenseless. The Voyager planned on taking advantage of the situation. Janeway was also nervous on how she was going to announce to Seven that she wanted to pursue a relationship with her. 

 

Janeway brought out a bottle of red wine which Neelix gave her as a birthday present the previous year. She poured the red drink in two glasses and passed one to her guest. Seven hesitated but when she saw the beautiful, expressive blue grey eyes trained on her, she knew that resistance was futile. She smiled a small smile and accepted the glass.

"Thank you, captain but alcohol impairs my cortical function. However, i will be in your tender loving care..." Seven paused when she saw Kathryn intently gazing at her with a small crooked smile on her face. What was she talking about? Her eidetic mind failed to record what she needed to know. She had not drank the wine yet which meant that she was not drunk yet. `What was happening?` Seven wondered. Her heart beat fast in her chest. Seven brought the glass to her lips and tentatively took a sip, then another. She placed it on the small coffee table between them and leaned back in the couch. Kathryn smiled satisfactorily and took a sip from her own glass.

 

Kathryn had never seen her astrometrics officer slouch or lean back in the seat before. She was becoming inefficient, human. "My kind of woman." Janeway whispered to herself. She had completely forgotten that her companion had enhanced auditory function. Seven heard what she said and smiled.

 

The young woman sat ramrod straight again. 

"Captain, i am grateful that i am your kind of woman. Would you be agreeable if i showed you how grateful i am?" Janeway panicked for a few seconds then she remembered that she was a starfleet captain and should not panic in front of a crew member. A second later she also remembered that this woman in her quarters was not just a crew member but someone she was totally in love with. She looked straight in the other woman`s eyes and smiled challengingly.

"Show me!" She said in a low growl. The simple words were dripping with innuendo and made Seven shiver pleasantly.

"Very well." The ex drone moved close to the captain and sat sideways. She stretched her right hand towards Janeway`s neck and pulled her close so that their noses almost touched.

"What shall we do now?" Kathryn purred.

"It all depends on you. 

 

Janeway angled her head and pecked at Seven`s lips. She pulled back to watch the woman`s reaction. Seven had closed her eyes. Kathryn moved back and this time she nibbled at the lower lip and gently licked it. Slowly Seven responded by opening her mouth. Kathryn moaned and closed her own eyes. She found a warm wet tongue and gently caressed it with her own. Then she sucked on it gently. The feeling was exquisite and she moaned again when she felt Seven falling backwards on the couch. Kathryn ended up lying on top of the taller woman. She kissed the woman, tasting the recesses of her mouth and loving it. After a while they stopped. They were both breathing heavily due to the need for more oxygen and probably more.

"So, what do you think of that activity, My kind of woman?" Janeway asked seductively.

"Acceptable, captain." Seven said while Janeway smiled.

"Seven, Annika. You should know by now that when we are together like this you should call me Kathryn."

"Does it mean that we will be together like this often? Kissing? Because i would like to see you in the state of undress."

"As often as you want! Yes, i would like to see you naked, too Seven.." Janeway replied.

"Later, when tomorrow`s mission is over we should start addressing on your phrasing of words." Janeway said as she leaned for a kiss again. Seven hungrily reciprocated. She undid the captain`s zipper and peeled off the command jacket off and threw it on the floor. Next the Borg woman looked at Kathryn who was lying on top of her. 

"Kathryn, do you have nipples?"

"Yes, i do."

"Do they get erect when you sleep?"

"Yes, and when i`m awake and thinking of you." Janeway said in a seductive tone. She brought her finger to trace the ocular implant above her lover`s left eye. She felt the body under her shiver and jerk away from her. The captain immediately stopped what she was doing. She was worried that she may have injured the young woman.

"What`s wrong?"

"Too sensitive!" The breathless Borg said. That gave Kathryn an idea. She remembered shamefully that she had memorized all of Seven`s implants locations. She had a slight blush which Seven noted. The young woman kissed her soundly and left Janeway breathless.

"Do you have nipples, Seven?"

"I believe that i do." Seven said dryly which made Kathryn laugh.

"Are they sensitive to touch?" Kathryn frowned at her own question as an unpleasant thought came to mind. She thought that someone else may have had a relationship with the young woman and they probably had this activity... she quickly blocked the jealous and unpleasant thought out.

"I do not know! They may be?"

"Have you ever touched yourself, my Love?"

Yes, last night when i thought of you. You gave me the nice present and i started to imagine you touching me, then i touching you. It was exquisite but also inadequate."

"I see. Have you ever been touched by anyone else?"

"No! Only you!" The Borg woman squirmed under Janeway when she felt the captain peeling off the bio suit and kissing and licking every centimetre of exposed skin amidst talking. Seven was impressed with Kathryn`s multitasking skills. She felt her nipples tighten and she wanted Kathryn to touch them but the older woman avoided them. She seemed to be interested in taking the whole bio suit off. Seven lifted herself off the couch slightly to help. 

 

Janeway sat back to admire the beautiful hybrid woman. Alabaster skin amidst soft silver metal lining various parts of her body.

"Mine!" Kathryn growled as she moved back for a kiss. The women kissed fervently until they had to stop to breath. 

 

Kathryn`s lips kissed down Seven`s starburst implant behind her ear. She let her tongue lick it`s edge causing the ex drone to moan and pull the older woman close to her. Janeway then went down the beautiful long neck which reminded her of the Maasai starfleet ensign from years ago back on Earth. Janeway realized that she had a thing for women with long necks. She smiled to herself and continued with her task. 

"Kathryn please touch my breasts, my nipples? I long for your touch. Please?!" The Borg woman pleaded and begged shamefully.

"Patience, my sweet Seven. I`ll take care of you." Janeway reassured the aroused woman.

 

Kathryn reached the beautiful full breasts. She squeezed them gently and lightly let her tongue run back and forth on the rock hard bud. She felt Seven moan and shiver. With her other hand Kathryn let her fingers lightly play with the other nipple. She sucked the nipple into her hot wet mouth and sucked on it. 

"Kathryn! Uhh! That is good. Please do not stop!"

"Your withh isth my command!" Janeway said as she attempted to speak and pleasure her lover at the same time. She did not want to let the delicious nipple go for a second. She sucked on it a bit more then switched with the other.

 

Seven of Nine was in heaven. She felt her whole body was filled with sensations. The area between her legs was getting slippery with moisture. She attempted to rub her legs together to ease the pressure that built there. The young woman knew of the mechanics of copulation but experiencing it was such a spiritual experience she could not explain even to herself.

"So impatient, my Love! Just relax and feel me touch you." Janeway scolded gently.

 

Seven took a deep breath and tried to do what Kathryn said but she felt that she was building towards something momentous and her hips started to move towards Kathryn`s fingers. This time they had moved down her abdomen and between her legs. She felt Kathryn comb through her pubic hair with her fingers. Then her legs were parted wide. 

 

Kathryn growled when she saw moisture seeping out of her lover`s seam. She had to feel it. So she took a swipe and felt it between her fingers. It was so slippery and silky that she wanted to investigate more. Kathryn brought her face between the long legs. She caressed and kissed each thigh before she moved to angle her head between the legs. Janeway held the thighs firmly apart and growled possessively at what she saw. Engorged pink folds with an erect clitoris proudly stood erect as if to challenge her. Janeway looked further down at the woman`s channel, she took a broad swipe from the top all the way down to the vaginal opening. That tasted exquisitely. So Kathryn lightly sucked on one pink fold then the other. She moved up to suck the clit. She could feel Seven`s hips moving up to get more contact. Janeway decided not to keep her woman waiting any longer. She let go of both hips and repositioned her lover so that she could see and reach every area she wanted to visit. Her mouth watered when she saw the nether lips twitch. The whole area was so engorged and ready for her ministrations. She felt proud to be the cause of her lover`s excitement.

 

The older woman gently entered her lover with the tip of a finger. Seven was incredibly tight but as the young woman lubricated more it became easier for Kathryn to enter the finger all the way to the knuckle. She slowly started an in and out motion while she sucked on the clit. Seven was now moaning incessantly as she felt a pleasant tingling starting in her pelvic region and spread all over her body forcing her hips to move rhythmically over and over for a good few seconds. 

"Kathryn! Kathryn! Kathryyyyynnnn!!!!

 

Seven felt her lover slow down and finally stop her ministrations. She looked down between her legs to see the redhead had rested her head on one thigh. Seven smiled tiredly and patted the head gently. 

 

Kathryn had licked her lover clean and loved the taste of it. She moved back up to kiss her enthusiastically where she felt Seven reciprocate eagerly.

"Thank you, Kathryn."

"You are welcome, my Love. That was when Kathryn remembered that she had not declared her love for the young woman. She blushed but decided to say nothing. They will have time to talk about it after the mission the following day. 

 

The lovers stayed on the couch for a while and Seven dressed and kissed Janeway one last time before she left the captain`s quarters to go and regenerate. They had a mission ahead to steal a trans warp coil from the damaged Borg sphere and they both had to be at peak efficiency for tomorrow. 

 

While Seven regenerated the Borg Queen accessed her transceiver and told her that she was going to assimilate Voyager. She could let them go if Seven agreed to go back with the Borg. Seven`s heart sank. She had just experienced the love of her captain and now...this. The young woman thought of her options quickly and decided to sacrifice herself. She would never let her lover be harmed in any way if she could help it. So the ex drone agreed to go with the Borg Queen. She was troubled and had nightmares the whole night but she could not go to Kathryn. She did not want to experience the pain of being close to her lover then the next day she will be taken away to be an unfeeling drone. 

 

In the morning Seven went to the ready room to speak to the captain. Janeway had a sleepless night too thinking that she may lose her newfound happiness. What if the Borg assimilated her lover? She did not want that to happen so Kathryn decided to tell Seven to stay on the ship. Seven refused and insisted something bad would happen to the crew if she did not go on the away mission. When Kathryn was adamant to keep the young woman on board Seven decided to use the word she knew Janeway would not resist.

"Please, captain. Let me join the away team. Voyager is my collective. I do not want to let anything harm my collective."

 

Janeway looked at Seven with a dejected look on her face. Seven had used the word she would never refuse her. "Please." Kathryn remembered the previous night when Seven, in the throes of passion, had begged her for release. She used the word "Please." The captain knew that Seven did not always use this word. It was sacred to both of them. They used it sparingly. Janeway tiredly rubbed her face with her hands and nodded her head in affirmation.

"Thank you." Seven said softly and went out of the ready room leaving a heart broken lover. 

 

Seven was recaptured by the Borg while on the sphere. As Janeway frantically shot and killed a drone coming after her, a force field went up and around her lover.

"I`m not leaving without you!" The dejected captain called out to her lover.

"Then you will be assimilated! Go!" The young woman shouted. She wanted Kathryn to go and be safe but her heart was broken into a million pieces.

 

Janeway and the remaining away team beamed back to Voyager to regroup and decide on the best course of action.


	7. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kathryn Janeway fights with the captain Janeway over a personal matter. Kathryn accuses her captain side of neglecting to satisfy her baser needs.
> 
> This chapter assumes that the reader is familiar with Startrek Voyager Season 5 episode 15, Dark Frontier parts 1 and 2 but it is not a strict requirement. You can still enjoy and understand the story without knowing the episode :)
> 
> This is one of my favourite and the best episode in the series, imo. I believe it is full of subtext and charged with J/7 sexual tension in it, but that`s just me, hehe!!!

A stone faced Captain Janeway walked out of the conference room. She was angry with herself for not protecting her crew. Now one of them had been taken away from her. As a Starfleet officer she found this completely unacceptable. She was also angry with herself as a woman. She viewed her falling in love with Seven was a weakness and a mistake. She reminded herself that this was the reason that starfleet captains did not fall in love with their subordinates. Just one date and she was inefficient. Janeway, the captain, consoled herself that at least her officers had come to agree with her daring plan of rescuing the wayward crew person who had been captured by the Borg. The crew used the Hansens` field notes to incorporate certain technology into the Delta Flyer. The shuttle was fitted with multi adaptive shielding so they could go into Borg space undetected, they also fitted in the stolen trans warp coil from the damaged cube, and a warp drive with the velocity of warp 7.2, making it the deadliest shuttle in Voyager`s arsenal. 

 

Janeway thought of the irony of the situation, that the Hansens` field notes were used to rescue their daughter twenty years after she was assimilated by the Borg. She supposed that the universe was really connected in this way, that one situation led to disconnection of one thing from another yet the two disconnected ends benefit from each other in a way. The captain sighed tiredly and rubbed her face with her left hand while her right was placed on her right hip.

 

Captain Janeway returned to the ready room to sit and bring her troubled thoughts into some semblance of order. Kathryn, the woman within her, screamed at her in order to be heard. Kathryn felt the captain was being hard on herself. She should listen to her baser instincts. Love was not irrelevant. It was perfection. In fact it was a source of strength, if the captain chose to carefully search within herself. Kathryn wanted the captain to go to her quarters and take a few hours off work but Janeway, the captain, felt that rest was irrelevant at that point in time. She almost laughed when she noted that she spoke like her astrometrics officer.

"I`ll get you back, Seven of Nine." She whispered to the room.

 

The Delta Flyer was on its way to the Borg home world. The senior staff, Tuvok, Tom Paris, Harry Kim, The Doctor and Janeway entered a trans warp conduit and emerged in Borg space. The whole area swarmed with cubes, spheres and oval shaped Borg ships in different sizes. It was an almost impossible task to locate one individual among trillions of Borg. The Doctor, thanks to his intensive study of Borg anatomy, and with captain Janeway`s help, was able to send a message of reassurance to Seven who was in the Borg Queen`s chamber.

"Not again." Seven thought to herself miserably as she was escorted by two drones to the Borg Queen. They walked through mazes of corridors lit with the eerie green glow characteristic of Borg ships. She tried to think of the brief happiness she had shared with her lover, Kathryn Janeway. She raised her chin and was determined to keep thinking of happy thoughts until the very last moment when she would finally became an unfeeling drone.

 

The young woman stood before the Queen`s throne and watched as the mechanical woman assembled herself from different metal looking parts. Finally the being stood before her, complete. She smiled an almost seductive smile at Seven of Nine. The Queen welcomed her home then admonished her `wayward drone` for changing her appearances such as wearing garments and growing hair. Seven thought of the irony of the situation. That she would be caught between the two forces that were Kathryn Janeway and this mechanical being standing before her, that individuality was forced upon her by Janeway and now that she had tasted it she found that she did not want to give it up. Deep down Seven knew where she would like to be if she was given a choice, with Janeway. She had tasted life as an individual and it was beautiful. As the Queen talked at length of her strength and Borg perfection, Seven heard, through her inter plexing beacon, a voice which sounded exactly like Janeway`s. 

"Seven of Nine, we`re searching for you. Try to hang on." Seven was overjoyed. She may be hallucinating but even if it was the other drones did not appear to have heard it. So chances were that Janeway was communicating with her through her inter plexing beacon. In her excitement the young woman called out to confirm if it was really the captain talking to her. Unfortunately that action was enough to alert the Queen to Janeway`s presence. Seven wanted to kick herself for the tactical error. Her hope of being rescued was renewed so she decided to help her rescuer. She was unaware that Kathryn would come by herself or bring a team. Her rescue daydream was cut short when Kathryn stood before the Borg Queen challenging her to let her crew man go or she would destroy the cube. After a short exchange Seven assisted by sabotaging the Borg cube`s defense systems. She directed the captain to shoot at the bulkhead above causing the heavy shielding to go down and the two were beamed off to the Delta Flyer and escaped. 

 

That evening on Voyager the captain visited her crew person in cargo bay two. She found her working. Janeway looked at her work briefly and then up at the lovely face of her lover. She smiled at her and ordered her to go and regenerate. Seven complied and went to stand in her alcove. As the captain tucked her in she reached up to the taller woman and kissed her briefly on the mouth. She felt Seven reciprocating eagerly but Kathryn moved away to the alcove controls to set and commence a regeneration cycle. She watched as the young woman`s eyes slammed shut as the cycle started.

"Sweet dreams." The captain whispered and walked out of the cargo bay. She secured the bay with a level 10 force field and went back to her quarters. 

"Nobody takes her away from me." Kathryn, the woman, promised herself.


	8. Brooding Borg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We need to talk" has never been many people`s favourite phrase, especially those in a relationship. Seven, too, seems to have grasped the meaning of the age old phrase which brings on nervousness and unpleasant feelings to individuals involved.

A few weeks went by and the crew had settled back into their routines. Seven had gone back to work in the Astrometrics laboratory with Harry Kim and Tal Celes. She was glad to be back on Voyager near Kathryn but she noted that Janeway was avoiding her. It was very subtle at first. In staff meetings the young woman noted that the captain was avoiding eye contact with her. The older woman would only look at her when she spoke to the Borg woman. Janeway smiled less and Seven noted, to her dismay, that Kathryn`s eyes were more grey than blue. The young woman cursed her ability to tell Kathryn`s moods by simply looking at her eye colour. Then she also found out that Kathryn spent a lot of time either on the bridge or the ready room, she only seemed to go to her quarters to sleep.

 

Seven of Nine could not bear it any longer. She thought it unacceptable to taste the perfection that was to be loved by Kathryn Janeway one day and be tossed out of an air lock the next day. The young woman sighed and continued to work. She still loved Kathryn very much. At first she felt that she should give Janeway some time to adjust to the ordeal. `What ordeal?` Her baser side asked. `The one where she witnessed her lover being kidnapped?` The logical side responded. `Well, she should have invited you to her quarters and console you.` The baser side said. `Well, perhaps she is too afraid to get close again, or she wants to alter the parameters of your relationship. The best course of action is to ask her, find out what is going on and do something about your new situation.` Seven did not like the thought of `altered parameters` in her relationship with Janeway but it was logical to find out or she would never really know what was going on.

 

Tal Celes was boosting sensor resolutions of a new course the astrometrics team had plotted. It led Voyager to a quieter area of space, away from some L class planetoids. The route also led to an M class moon where they were hoping to replenish their food supplies. However the young Bajoran woman could not seem to be able to work the sensors. She watched in horror as Seven, who was also her superior officer, furiously tapped at the defenseless console in front of her. Celes winced when she saw Seven grasp the side of the console with her left hand implant and watched it crumble under the strength of her hand. The sound of crumbling metal filled the silent room which caused the Bajoran to gasp in fear. 

 

Seven snapped out of her brooding when she heard someone gasping. She looked down at her hand implant which was now bleeding. She stared at it as if surprised by what she had just done. Seven of Nine looked at Tal Celes briefly and ordered her harshly to continue boosting the resolution until she got it right then Seven then walked out of the lab.

"Y..yes, Ma`am, i mean yes, Seven." Celes stammered nervously and continued working.

 

The ex drone wondered why she was angry as she walked down the corridor towards the turbo lift which would take her to cargo bay two. She knew the reason but refused to accept it as the cause of her unstable mind. She clenched her injured hand into a fist to stop bleeding. The nano probes had already began repairing the damage. Soon she will be physically perfect again but her mind was in chaos. `Perhaps, an hour in my alcove will bring some order to chaos. `Why was Kathryn so stubborn?` She kept asking herself. 

 

The young woman walked into the cargo bay and headed to the alcove. She stood in front of the Borg technology and watched the green glow silently pulsating. She sighed and stepped up the dais then she ordered the computer to commence an hour long cycle and snapped her eyes shut.

 

Tal Celes silently watched Seven leave the astrometrics lab and sighed. She had never seen her superior this upset before. Celes instinctly knew this could be related to the captain and not security. She hesitated a bit, took a deep breath then then went back to work. She worked for a while then decided that she should tell the captain about Seven. The Bajoran pressed her comm badge on her left side and nervously waited.

"Celes to captain Janeway, please respond?"

"Janeway here, how can i help Crewman Celes?"

"It`s Seven, captain. I think she`s hurt. She`s walked out of astrometrics lab about fifty minutes ago. She may have gone to sick bay or the cargo bay, i`m not sure."

"Thank you, Celes. Janeway out."

 

Kathryn was alarmed. She abruptly walked out of the ready room, dropping a padd onto the floor in the process, and walked towards Tuvok`s tactical station on the bridge. She talked to him quietly and left him in charge of the bridge as she went towards the turbo lift. She inquired of Seven`s whereabouts. The disembodied female voice of the computer told her that Seven was in the cargo bay. Janeway`s alarm grew. Something was very wrong as Seven did not usually take time off work being the middle of the Alpha shift. When the turbo lift deposited Janeway near the cargo bay she briskly walked towards the double doors. She bumped into the closed doors which refused to part open for her.

"Oww!" Janeway cried as her nose strongly impacted against the duranium doors with full force. Tears pooled in her eyes as a reflexive response to the impact. Kathryn tried ordering the computer to open the bay doors but nothing happened. `You`re as stubborn as the occupant within." Kathryn thought. She decided to use her personal code and finally the doors grudgingly parted open for her. Janeway did not know how she knew the doors` mood but she thought they were unwilling to let her in to protect the occupant from what she was going to tell her. The captain shook her head unbelievably at the ridiculous thought and walked purposefully towards the alcove. She stood at the dais and debated whether she should stop the cycle or wait for it to finish. 

"Regeneration cycle complete." The computer announced. Seven opened her eyes and looked around. She saw the redheaded woman standing in front of the alcove, all stone faced. Seven sighed.

"Captain Janeway? How may i assist you?" The Borg woman asked in what she hoped was a polite tone. She saw Janeway smile a little bit.

"I just wanted to see if you were alright. We need to talk, if you are agreeable." Janeway said as she looked around the open space. `Not a convenient place as someone may come in at any time,` she thought to herself. Seven`s heart sank at the `we need to talk` phrase. She had done a lot of research on relationships and how to phrase words favourably. She still had a long way to go but she knew enough to know that "We need to talk" almost always signified termination of a relationship. The young woman decided to ask the nature of the `talk` so that she prepare herself emotionally.

"Have you come to terminate our affiliation?" Janeway was shocked at that. Yes, she did have that in mind but she was still debating on what to do. When Seven so plainly said it out loud it made Kathryn bring things into perspective. `Did she really want to end the relationship? Why?`

"I...uh, no. I just want us to talk."

"Very well." Seven said in a clipped tone and guided the captain to the back of the alcoves. She did not mean to be rude but she felt a deep vague pain in her chest. She wondered whether she would be able to survive the pain if Kathryn announced the termination of their relationship.

 

Janeway wondered where the Borg woman was taking her. She had never been on this side of the cargo bay before. She wondered why she did not take the initiative to check every corner of her own ship in the past. Perhaps she should do that. An idea began forming in her head.

 

Seven of Nine led the captain to a door which led to some quarters. The room boasted all the comforts of any standard crew quarters, complete with an en suite, a bedroom and a kitchenette. Kathryn stood in the middle of the room and gasped at the beautiful quarters Seven had constructed with B`Elanna Torres` help.

"When did you build this? It`s beautiful." The captain said in wonder.

"Two days ago. We finished transferring the conduits for the cooking units and heating plus communication and work station this morning. The plumbing mechanism was done last night. Lieutenant Torres stated that a toilet and bathroom should be done first." Seven was genuinely proud of their achievement. She took some comfort in that, just in case Kathryn broke the bad news shortly. She would remember Janeway`s beautiful smiling face as she marveled at the living quarters. 

 

Seven and Janeway sat on the only couch in the room. Janeway was nervous. Her heart beat fast in her chest threatening to escape her rib cage. She was completely unaware that her companion was in the exact same predicament. Kathryn wondered how she was going to start the conversation then she decided to just come out and say it.

"Seven, over the past few years i`ve know you i have fallen completely head over heels in love with you. I could not bring myself to love you openly because of my job. When i recently decided to give our relationship a go it brought very unpleasant thoughts. One minute i was happy the next you get taken away from me. How am i supposed to command when my emotions are so fragile? I need to have a sober mind when we face difficult situations here in this god forsaken quadrant. I hope you understand that we cannot have a relationship. It is very painful for me to let this go. Maybe when we get home i will be free to love you unconditionally. I still love you, though." Janeway said the last part silently, Seven had to use her enhanced hearing to understand what was being said. Janeway took a deep breath in then attempted to relax. She leaned back on the couch and looked around while Seven looked down at her shoes. She analyzed every word said and interpreted them in every way she knew. It all meant the same thing. Kathryn had terminated their relationship. However when she replayed the last part of Janeway`s speech, the tone said so much more than the words themselves. 

 

Seven of Nine knew that non verbal communication usually said so much more than the verbal part of speech. So the young woman decided to prove this.

"I understand all you have said, Kathryn but i still love you. What am i supposed to do with all the love i have? Throw it out of an air lock? All relationships have problems. There is potential for danger everywhere we go. Does it mean we should stop living? Stop having fun? Stop appreciate each other? Just because i was in danger recently does not mean i stopped loving you and so should you. If you claim to love me as you said a few days ago while we sat on your couch and we kissed and made love, those were the best times for me. You brought order to this drone`s chaotic mind. You brought meaning to my life." Seven`s voice took on a very quiet tone towards the end. She sighed and clenched her hands together in her lap. She waited for Kathryn to say something, anything. 

 

A few minutes had gone and Seven was beginning to think that Janeway was not going to respond. When she looked tentatively at Kathryn she saw that Janeway had her hand over her eyes. She was silently sobbing. Tender feelings for the older woman washed over Seven. She brought Kathryn`s head in her lap and soothingly stroked her hair while she leaned her head in Kathryn`s golden brown locks. To her horror the young woman found that her lacrimal glands were malfunctioning. They were leaking fluid.

 

B`Elanna Torres briskly walked into the Astrometrics laboratory talking to `Seven.`

"Ms Borg is this how you repay your friend? You promised me that you will help me to align the sensor array in Engineerng.... She stopped mid sentence and stood under the giant screen display which Celes had managed to boost its resolution. Seven was nowhere. Tal Celes stood in the corner cowering from B`Elanna`s tirade.

"Where`s Seven, Celes?"

"I think she went to the cargo bay." Then B`Elanna walked out of the lab.

"You`re welcome, Lieutenant Torres." Celes said to the half Klingon engineer`s back. 

 

The half Klingon woman walked into the cargo bay and headed straight towards Seven`s new quarters. She opened the door and saw a beautiful scene before her. Seven of Nine`s face was buried into captain Janeway`s reclined form. They both seemed to be asleep. She walked further into the room and took a quick look around. No furniture was disturbed and the couple on the couch did not appear to be injured. She tiptoed back out but not before she took several holo images of them. She quietly walked out of the cargo bay, hailed Tuvok and asked him to lock it with a level ten force field. The half Klingon woman imagined Tuvok probably raised an eye brow at the seemingly strange request but when he asked whether Seven was there with the captain B`Elanna knew that the security chief knew exactly what she was talking about. B`Elanna smiled to herself as she walked all the way back to engineering. `No help from my friend today.` She thought to herself. When Tom Paris, her boyfriend, came to take her for lunch he did not expect to be punched on the arm by the engineer.

"Oww! What was that for?" He asked incredulously.

"Why don`t you love me like them?"

"Like who?" Tom looked confused.

"Them!" Torres emphasized mysteriously.


	9. What dreams are made of

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janeway struggles, even in her dreams.

Captain Janeway was alone on the sea. She sat in a small boat which rocked back and forth tossing her around. The strange thing was that the sea was calm and the beautiful turquoise water was as clear as glass. She could see all the way down to the sea bed. So why was the boat rocking. She wanted to paddle the boat so she could reach the beautiful lush tropical island a few metres ahead of her but she was exhausted from crying. Two paddles were beside her but she lacked motivation to continue. Kathryn wondered why she was crying. She racked her brain to find anything which could jog her memory into remembering why she was in this state, to no avail. Finally the star ship captain heard something from the distance. A voice, no, voices. They sounded familiar and were calling out to her or cheering her on. She even thought she recognized Tuvok, Chakotay and Harry Kim, even Tom Paris, Neelix, B`Elanna and the Doctor. 

 

Suddenly her strength was renewed. She grabbed the paddles, one in each hand and pushed them into the water on either side of the boat. Her senior officers were in trouble and she had to rescue them. Kathryn pushed back one paddle at a time, from the left then the right. The boat started to move forward towards the little island. The voices became louder as she approached and she began to hear the words of the people calling out to her telling her to keep going. One particular voice rose above all, strangely it was not loud but Janeway could clearly hear the words. It was as if the words were whispered in her mind`s ears.

"Kathryn, please hurry. i need you."

 

That became her mantra. Kathryn paddled the boat faster. Her arms were aching and she felt tired but she knew she had to keep going for the sake of someone who needed her. Her crew needed her. The redhead instinctively knew the identity of the person calling her and what she needed her for. 

"I am the captain. Where is my ship? What happened to my crew? I must reach her. She is special to me. Could she be hurt?" Kathryn asked herself as she paddled enthusiastically towards the island.

 

The captain opened her eyes. She felt a bit disoriented and her neck and arms ached. Where was she? When she saw a glimpse of where she was in the corner of her eye which did not look like her quarters on deck three. `Why was she lying down? The bed she lay on was warm, soft and so very inviting.... and did it just move?` She thought briefly until reality struck and she smiled to herself. Janeway closed her eyes again and pretended to be asleep. She knew exactly where she was. The familiar scent of vanilla and a tinge of metal brought another smile to her face. She thought about the interesting dream she had just had and tried to relate it to reality. The reality so tried so hard to avoid. Kathryn had reached the conclusion that she did not want to deny herself any longer. She had to be realistic about life in the Delta Quadrant. If it was going to take her sixty years to reach Federation space then she may as well take a lover. Then she realized that she already had a lover. She just had to take things from where she had left off. She also thought of the Borg Queen who took her lover away from her. Kathryn had to admit that her job was a dangerous one where she faced death at almost every turn but that should not stop her from living her life. With that she took a deep breath and sat up, away from the pleasant `bed` she was lying on.

"Seven?"

 

Seven of Nine continued to rock her friend lying in her lap. She noted that Kathryn`s breathing became steady and even indicating that she had fallen asleep. The young woman talked to the sleeping form, regretting the possible end of their relationship and celebrating the short good time they shared. She even told Janeway how much she still needed her, to love her, guide her and teach her more about humanity. Seven shed a few more tears which seeped through the redhead`s locks. She continued to rock them even as the older woman slept. Suddenly she felt the other woman stretching herself and sitting up. The young woman mourned the loss of the warm body.

"Kathryn?"

"Yes, Seven?"

"It was nice when you lay in my lap." The younger woman made an attempt to ease the tension she felt within.

"I agree it was nice but now my neck and arms are sore. Do you know any masseuses in town?" She flashed a crooked smile at Seven.

"Yes, i do." The younger woman said enthusiastically. They both stood up and went into Seven`s new bedroom.

 

The massage was the best the captain had ever had in her life. She sat up and felt like jelly. Kathryn decided to take a couple of days off with the young woman so she hailed Chakotay, her first officer, on the bridge to inform him of her plan. He readily agreed. Seven looked at the captain with surprise. The older woman was not known to take any days off work.

"So, my Darling Annika. What are you cooking?"

"I am going to cook some spaghetti and meatball substitutes. For dessert we shall have chocolate ice cream and coffee." Seven said.

"I didn`t know that coffee was dessert?" Janeway asked curiously. "I wouldn`t mind having mine now?" She looked at the younger woman hopefully. Seven smiled and went to the replicator to get coffee for the captain.

"Will you forgive me for treating you unfairly, Annika? I let my fears and insecurity blind me from seeing what is the most important thing in my life." Kathryn blurted out causing Seven to raise an eye brow.

"I require proof of your sincere apology, Kathryn." She said dryly as she reached for a pan in one of the kitchenette`s drawers. She felt warm arms pull her into an embrace. Seven let the pan fall into the sink and let Kathryn engulf her in a warm and welcome embrace.

"Very well." The older woman walked towards Seven and reached her arms round the ex drone`s neck trapping her within the embrace. They inched towards each other until their visions were blurred by proximity. Kathryn closed her eyes and reached for the soft lips. Seven opened her mouth when she felt Kathryn`s lips touch hers. The women gently kissed each other, savouring the recesses of each other`s mouths for long, delicious moments. There was no need to hurry as they had time for more activities.


	10. Staff meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janeway learns of the senior staff`s deception. She is at a loss as to how to deal with such `mutiny.`

"The last item on the agenda is food supplies and crew morale. Neelix, how is is our food supply and how is the crew holding up after our little encounter with the Borg?" Captain Janeway sat at her usual place at the head of the conference table with commander Chakotay next to her. She noted that B`Elanna Torres sat next to Seven of Nine across the table and that they were whispering to each other and sending each other discreet messages on their padds. She tried to get Seven`s attention by looking at her but the ex drone was too involved in her activity with Torres. She abandoned the attempt when Neelix started talking.

"We have enough food to last us a few months, Captain, now that the replicators are back online. I still suggest rationing. That way we will stretch our supplies further." He looked pointedly at Tom Paris and Harry Kim.

"Aww, why should i eat leola root stew when i can get pizza from my replicator in my quarters?" Tom disagreed with Neelix.

"I am sorry, Neelix but i am with Tom on this one." Harry chipped in. Janeway sighed. She realized that if not nipped in the bud this conversation could go on for days. 

"Neelix, how about we restrict replicator use to only certain food items which are easy to replicate, such as small treats. If somebody fancies a stir fry they can always go to the mess hall and make arrangements with you to get it cooked for them or they can cook the food themselves. Cooking uses less energy compared to replicators." Chakotay said. They all agreed that it was a good idea.

"Thank you, commander. Now morale is unusually high considering what we just went through. It might be because of the well coordinated actions of the senior officers to fool you, captain. I have to say bravo to everyone!" The Talaxian said enthusiastically with a broad smile on his face. He soon realized his mistake when he looked around the table. Nobody was smiling instead there was a deafening silence in the room, one could easily hear a pin drop without having enhanced hearing. Stone faces looked back at him and a pair of ice blue stare and a pair of greys pinned on him.

"What are you saying, Neelix?" Janeway asked with a low and deadly tone in her voice causing the diminutive cook to cower in his seat. "You`re all dismissed. Neelix, in my ready room. Now." The captain ordered. The other senior staff hesitated. They all looked at Seven where the ex drone sighed and sat up.

"Captain, if i may speak. Neelix has not done anything wrong. I did. Please do not punish him or any of the senior staff. I got them all involved in helping me get to you." They all saw Janeway take a deep breath in then slowly release it. She looked down at the table surface then looked up at each of the senior staff then at Seven.

"Very well, Seven. In my ready room." She said as she dismissed the others. They slowly filed out not sure what will become of Seven or themselves.

 

IN THE READY ROOM

 

Janeway walked in silently followed by Seven of Nine. They went up to the upper level of the room and sat down next to each other.

"Explain." Kathryn said. She was not aware that at that moment she sounded exactly like her partner. Seven placed her hands neatly in her lap and took a deep breath in and exhaled it.

"It was a few weeks ago. The beautiful nebula and the away mission with commander Chakotay. The explosion and injuries. It was all a coordinated action to gain your attention but the love is real." Seven said with a minimum of words. Kathryn looked at her astrometrics officer and wondered what was going on. Then she got it.

"So, you orchestrated the whole thing to trick me so i could fall in love with you?" Janeway said with a level tone in her voice. Seven was so very tense but she decided to at least make an attempt at diffusing the tension she felt within.

"Did it work?" She asked seemingly hopefully but in reality she was hanging in the balance. She did not know whether she was going to be thrown in the brig or out an air lock or worse have her new found relationship terminated. She hoped to be thrown in the brig would be a better option. Janeway did not reply straight away. So Seven waited some more.

 

Captain Janeway`s first reaction was outrage. She was furious with her staff at going behind her back and fool her by pulling such a stunt on her. She has never liked the idea of being left in the dark especially on her own ship. When the anger had passed she started to think objectively at the reasons for the staff to behave in such a manner. Slowly she realized that they all did it in good faith to help their friend get to her. It felt oddly romantic if she was to look at it in a critical way. She thought of the EMH who supposedly could not lie but be objective. She shook her head at the memory of seeing a charred Chakotay lying on the bio bed next to Seven`s. She smiled, in spite of herself, when she thought of her half Klingon chief engineer and Seven`s partner in crime, coming up with such an elaborate plan. She shook her head and felt laughter bubbling from within. All anger had dissipated and she started to laugh. She laughed so hard for a few minutes until tears streamed down her face.

 

Seven listened and watched the captain laugh. She did not know what to make of it so she just sat beside her and waited. She saw Janeway dry her eyes with the back of her hands and looked at the Borg woman.

"You do realize, Seven of Nine, that you will be punished for orchestrating mutiny on this vessel. Don`t you? I have thought of different punishments but none of the standard ones will suit you, in fact, standard punishment never really work with you."

"I am sorry, captain." 

"Not good enough." Janeway said. She stood up in front of the still sitting Seven. 

"So i have thought long and hard about this. One punishment will suit you and i hope you will learn your lesson by the end of it." Seven`s heart was pumping hard with fear as different terrible punishments popped in her head. She expected security to storm in and take her away at any moment. Then she heard Kathryn continue speaking.

"You will be the captain`s wife for the rest of your life. You will follow her in all her missions and assist her in all areas of life. That is your punishment and no, you may not make an appeal. So i want you to go back to your station and think about your punishment. Come to my quarters at 19:00 hours to tell me what you think. Dismissed." Janeway said with a level tone in her voice. The young woman was confused. She looked up at Janeway with her brows furrowed.

"You are not going to throw me in the brig?"

"No, that would be counter productive, wouldn`t it?" Then Seven saw a lop sided smile on the captain`s face. Hope returned to her but she still did not understand what Kathryn was saying. 

 

Seven of Nine stood up and silently left the Ready room. She silently went past the bridge and into the turbo lift which would take her to astrometrics department. As she walked past the bridge she could feel all eyes on her. She briefly saw Tuvok raise an eye brow at her as she went. She had to ask her friend, B`Elanna, to clarify what Kathryn said. Seven decided to speak with her friend before she went to work in astrometrics.

 

CARGO BAY 2

"Seven to Torres, please respond."

"Torres, here. What is it Seven?"

"I need to speak with you urgently."

"Very well." Torres terminated the comm link and briskly went to see Seven. She was expecting to find a very distraught and crying Borg.

 

The half Klingon entered Seven`s quarters and found her sitting on the couch. Seven explained everything which went on in the ready room. Then saw her friend`s eyes go wide with excitement then she smiled showing pearly white pointed teeth.

"Seven, she just asked you to marry her. Did you accept?"

"She told me to think about my punishment and give her feedback at 19:00 hours." Seven said as she figured out what was really meant by the captain with the help of B`Elanna`s explanation.

"Why don`t you just hail her now to tell her what you`ve thought about and at 19:00 hours get ready to ravish her, have your way with her?" B`Elanna suggested eagerly while the reserved Borg woman smiled happily.

"I might do that, B`Elanna. I might."

 

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you have enjoyed this entry of the series. 
> 
> More to come shortly.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for the kudos :)


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